EHS hosts Ferris for homecomingBy Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–Heading into their annual homecoming game this Friday, the
Eustace Bulldogs should feel much more confident.
They managed to notch their first victory of the season over hosting
Quitman last Friday night, and they did it the hard way – with a rookie
quarterback and a goal line stand to preserve a precarious lead in the
final minute.
Senior halfback Trevan Johnson was pressed into service at quarterback
to replace classmate Chris Compton, who was on crutches last week with a
deep muscle tissue bruise in his leg suffered against Edgewood.
“We were very pleased at how Trevan handled this,” head coach Doug
Wendel said Monday. “He really took ownership of his responsibility, and
actually wanted the opportunity.”
Johnson wound up with 25 carries for 171 yards, despite the fact that
the Bulldogs were very much plain vanilla on offense.
“We could not run our three base option plays,” Wendel said. “Two of
them we didn’t even attempt. You don’t start running the triple option
in one week, or even two or three.”
Compton is still very doubtful for Friday night’s homecoming game
against Ferris, even though he’s no longer on crutches.
“Chris spent every day last week in the training room. He didn’t even
come out to the field,” Wendel said. “As of Saturday, he was ahead of
schedule.
“My guess is he will be in training all this week, too,” Wendel added.
Once the Bulldogs get past the Ferris contest, they have an open week to
rest and heal before starting District 14-3A play at home against
Mineola Friday, Oct. 9.
It’s possible Compton could return for the Mineola game, although it’s
more likely he’ll be back for a key road game Canton Oct. 16. Of course,
he’ll be plenty rusty when he returns from such a long layoff, Wendel
pointed out.
During last Friday’s 12-8 win against hosting Quitman, the Bulldogs held
the home team on downs inside the 1, after Quitman put together a
seven-minute drive, using almost all the fourth quarter.
“Jacob McCarter made four touchdown-saving tackles during that drive,”
Wendel said. “On fourth-and-goal at the 1, Zach Stokes stopped (Devontae)
McNeal.
“We run four quarterback sneaks and run the clock out,” he added. “Cody
Folsom made seven tackles, five of them for losses. I thought he played
his best game ever.
“It’s good to get a win in a hard-fought way, to gut out a win like
that,” Wendel said. “We can build from that.”
The Bulldogs overcame a lot of adversity, including “way too many
penalties” and three turnovers on a sloppy field, one coming on a
kickoff return.
“We’ll continue to focus on us this week, and try to eliminate those
mistakes,” Wendel said. “I think you’ll see a different offensive look
this week.”
Ferris and Eustace, former district foes, have put together some
exciting contests over the last couple of years.
Two years ago, in Wendel’s first season at the helm, the Bulldogs went
into the final game against Ferris with a shot at making the playoffs.
Last year, the Yellowjackets blocked a field goal attempt – which would
have put the Bulldogs ahead – and returned it for a touchdown, blowing
open the contest and leading to a 30-14 Ferris win.
“I think they’re district contenders (in 12-3A),” Wendel said. “They
have a Division I running back (James Hopkins) and an outstanding
quarterback (Ryan Kidwill).”
The Yellowjackets run a Wing-T offense, and do it very well, he added.
“They’ve got an answer for everything you do, and it’s tough to cover
everything,” Wendel said. “I’m always tempted each spring to go to this
offense.
“They do it with options and misdirection,” he added. “The Wing-T, in
and of itself, is tough to stop, but when you put options with it, it’s
almost impossible to stop.
“Their coach (Randy Barnes) has been running this offense for about 20
years, and they’re really good at it,” Wendel said. “He’s got some
talented backs carrying it out.”
All that aside, the Bulldogs may be over the early-season hump, having
played mostly on the road so far.
Four of the Bulldogs’ next six games are at home, with the exceptions
being key district contests against Canton and Wills Point.
“We’ll have to hold onto the ball,” Wendel said. “It’s going to be a
short game, because both teams run. We’ll have to score touchdowns, and
have one or two stops.
“If we play our best, I think we’ll be right there in the fourth
quarter,” he added.

EHS
loop favoriteBy Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
EUSTACE–With three starters returning from last year’s regional
quarterfinalist squad, along with two talented newcomers, veteran
Eustace High School volleyball coach Chuck Powers might be forgiven for
having high expectations this year.
However, maintaining focus has been a difficulty for his team, who were
18-9 prior to Tuesday’s final non-district match on the road against
North Mesquite. The Lady Bulldogs open District 14-3A play at home
Friday against Wills Point.
“Right now, consistency is our biggest unknown,” Powers said Monday. “We
can play at a really high level, but when we’re bad, we’re really bad.
That’s been our weakness.”
Returning this year are last year’s Newcomer of the Year, junior Allie
Cass, along with seniors Jenny McConathy (a first-team all-district pick
last year) and setter Kimberly Austin.
They’ve been joined by sophomore Catania Grant and junior Harmony Allen,
giving the Lady Bulldogs a formidable front line.
“I’ve got four legitimate hitters, and never before in my 35 years have
I had that luxury,” Powers said. “That’s why I have such high
expectations, because I know what kind of talent is out there.”
Also out this year are seniors Aurora Beasley, Erica Sanchez and Kelsey
Maltos, along with juniors Vanessa Lopez, Alyssa Walker and Shelley
Temple.
Joining the Lady Bulldogs at Quitman Friday was senior Tori Bynum, who
was a starter until suffering a serious back injury last year. “The
doctors just cleared her last week,” Powers said.
Bynum is a multi-sport standout (cross country and track) who should
give the Lady Bulldogs another top-quality athlete on the floor, not
that they have any lack of talent out there now.
“On any given night, any one of them could step up, and that gives us a
great deal of versatility,” Powers said. “If Jenny or Allie are not
having a great night, someone else will step up. They’ve showed a lot of
spunk that way.”
Friday night’s opener against Wills Point appears to be a key district
match, as those two teams are the loop favorites. The teams are
scheduled to open with 4:30 p.m. sub-varsity contests.
“I think the bottom half of the district (Mineola, Kemp and Canton) has
made a big increase and picked it up a notch,” Powers said. “On the top
end, I don’t think Van will be as strong, just knowing the kids they’ve
lost (to graduation).
“I think the district should come down to us and Wills Point,” Powers
said. “They’ve got a well-rounded team and a top-notch hitter (Precious
Spencer).”
Friday’s opener was originally scheduled to be in Wills Point, but has
been moved to Eustace because EHS is hosting Ferris for the annual
homecoming contest that same evening (see related story).
“(Wills Point) coach Tracy Pierce was gracious enough to flop our
home-and-home (schedule),” Powers said. “There’s not a lot of coaches
out there who would do that.”
Powers admits his only worry is about his team’s consistency.
“We can match up with anybody,” he said. “We may be a little slow on
foot speed, but we’ve got good vertical and good strength.”

Kemp seeking to be a contenderBy Kerry Yancey
Monitor Staff Writer
KEMP–The Kemp Lady Yellowjackets have been right there in almost every
match, but don’t have wins to show for it.
“We’ve been playing very well, and we’ve been in every game,” third-year
head coach Peggy Swierc noted Monday. “We just haven’t pushed it over
the edge to a win.”
Kemp opens District 14-3A play at home Friday when they host the Mineola
Lady Yellowjackets, with 4:30 p.m. sub-varsity contests starting the
evening.
The Lady ’Jackets have been able to hang with some of the heavy hitters,
taking Athens to four games a week ago, and Swierc praised the team’s
attitude and work ethic.
“They come in every day ready to work,” she said. “Their attitude has
been great.
“As I’ve told them repeatedly, all these games are just preparation for
when it counts,” Swierc said. ”We have all the tools it takes to be a
contender in this district.”
One of the strengths of this year’s squad is experience. Nine of the 11
players are seniors, and seven started at least some games last year.
Returning senior starters include Amanda Lawrence, Kimmie Gorka, Hannah
Carpenter (who was lost to a broken ankle last year), Shelbie Wright,
Kylie Goswick (who also broke an ankle last year, a week after Hannah
went down), Sharda Bettis and Amanda White, who has stepped into the
libero spot this year.
Joining them are seniors Kayleigh Morton (just now coming back from an
early knee injury) and Lacy Pettigrew, who played on the junior varsity
last year.
The two juniors out, Amber Brewer and Heather Henderson, also both
played JV ball last year.
“Our hitting and blocking are strengths,” Swierc said. “Our passing is a
weakness.”
Now in her 32nd year of education, Swierc said she’s starting to see the
results of establishing a program (as opposed to a new coach fielding a
team each year) at Kemp High School.
“We’re trying to build a program here, and see to the success of all the
kids in everything,” she said.
The program puts an emphasis on overall physical conditioning. For
example, each week the Lady ’Jackets observe “black Wednesday,” and
nobody touches a ball that day.
Instead, the girls hit the track and the weight room, “and do all the
things we need to increase our jumping and our strength,” Swierc said.
“All of our coaches are on board for that, and that’s really helped our
success,” she added.
Moving into a brand-new high school, with all the facilities close at
hand, has also developed a lot of pride and excitement in the players,
Swierc said.
“We’re physically much stronger through our weight program,” she
explained. “We’re now physically able to get up and we have better
control of our bodies.
“We’re jump-serving this year, and that’s something that’s being
implemented down through the grades,” she added. “That’s all due to the
program kicking in.”
Last year, the girls basketball team advanced to the playoffs for the
first time in at least 16 years, and that helped the girls get a taste
of what it means to go to the playoffs, Swierc said.
“I can definitely tell the difference this year, because the kids know
what they’re working toward,” she added.
Swierc said she agreed with veteran Eustace coach Chuck Powers that the
bottom half of District 14-3A is much improved.
“Us, Canton, Van and Mineola are all very even,” she said. “Wills Point
and Eustace are the two strongest teams in the district, but the other
four of us are all in the same boat, and any one of us could win on any
given night.
“If Eustace and Wills Point are not on their game, and take us lightly,
they could get beat,” she added.